The Thoughts That Count
by K-9 Style
Summary: Finally, he had returned to her! It was everything they'd hoped for, but frightening because it felt like a dream. Would he stay, or would the dream fade again? And, if it did, would Yuna be able to survive losing him again? New Sum/Revision.
1. A Whistle On the Wind

**The Thoughts That Count**

CHAPTER ONE: A Whistle On the Wind

Yuna had just boarded Cid's airship again for what seemed like the hundredth time today. Whether she would admit it or not to her companions, she was tired of travelling. She was tired of being at the center of everything--Tired of being relied on! She had needs, too! Yet, no matter how hard she tried, Yuna could not turn down a person, or in this case a whole world, who needed her.

She'd left Luca and the stadium and the Youth League behind. She'd gone through the motions two years ago, what with Spira gathered around just to hear Lady Yuna, savior of the world, say a few things about her journey. She'd decided that she didn't need the glory this time and let the guys savor it for a change.

She was happy. She'd done and seen amazing things and been to amazing places. She'd formed alliances with former foes. She'd discovered a world and a time beyond her own and had lived through someone else's experiences. She had changed a lot since two years ago.

Then, it seemed, she had been a shy, quiet, and naieve girl. She'd been so ready to give up the life that she cherished for something that had turned out to be a hoax. Looking at herself now, she knew she was glad that she'd lived through it. She was glad that she still had life.

She sighed. She owed it all to him. Tidus, the mysterious boy that Wakka had brought home one day. He'd claimed to have been from Zanarkand. Of course, no one had believed him at the time... except for Yuna. There was something about him... That and the fact that he was Jecht's son.

No matter how happy she'd been-and it had taken her a long time to remember what 'happy' felt like-she'd always felt like there was something missing. She knew exactly what it was. Although Sin was gone and Spira could live on without fear, without worry... it all just seemed like she was going through the same motions each day. Waking up, going out somewhere, eating dinner, sleeping. Then she'd begun sphere hunting. It had been after Rikku had showed her a recording of _him_... or at least it had _looked_ like him.

The recording had really been of someone else. A troubled person with a tragic past who was overwhelmed by thoughts of vengeance and sorrow for losing the one person he'd loved more than anything in the world. Yuna had had to work with the spirit of that lost loved one to stop him. Now they could both truly rest in peace.

She found herself wondering if Tidus was resting in peace, wherever he was. Sometimes she swore she could feel him; his arms around her, his warmth close to her body. But when she would look, no one would be there. He was forever with her in spirit, if not in body. In fact, it was largely because of this that she had made it through the first year without going completely insane.

She'd dreamt about him every night since he'd disappeared. Not all the dreams had been good. He'd been telling her that she needed to go on, that she needed to pull herself out of bed every day and get on with her life. He wanted her to live. He wanted her to be happy. He'd given her the incentive to go on living. And she had, for him and for herself.

Even now as she stood on the deck of the swiftly moving airship, she thought she could hear him whistling. The familiar and sweet sound carried on the wind and swirled around her. She shook her head and turned to head back inside. Something made her stop. Something about the way the whistling sounded. How could she hear it all the way up here with the wind howling and the engine of the airship turning?

She swallowed. No. She wasn't hearing this. It was her imagination acting up again. It wouldn't be the first time...

She stopped again. Something seemed to whisper in her ear.

_Yuna._

"Did you say something?" Yuna called out to Paine, who was also on the airship's deck.

"Huh?" The warrior looked confused, "Um... no."

"Rikku?" Yuna looked towards her cousin.

"Nope!"

Yuna stepped out a little. Besaid beach loomed below the airship. The sun broke through the clouds and cast sparkling reflections of the water's surface. Yuna squinted for a better view. She thought she could see a break in the water. Yes. There was a break! Could it just be... a wave? A gull swooping down to catch a fish?

She had to be sure.

Much to the surprise of Paine and Rikku, she stood up suddenly and went to the lift. They followed her, sensing something was up. They didn't ask. No one spoke while the lift descended to the cockpit. Yuna hurried inside and asked Cid if he could lower the airship to Besaid's shore.

"Besaid?" he echoed, "You sure?"

"Yes." Yuna nodded, her face flushed.

"Yunie?" Rikku looked confused, "What's up?"

Yuna shook her head. "I'm not sure."

Paine and Rikku exchanged curious glances.

Yuna ran up to the giant cockpit windows and craned her neck for a better view of the water below. Brother took the ship down swiftly. In no time the blue water was almost level with the ship. Yuna scanned the shore, not even sure of what she was looking for or if she would find it.

Then she saw him. Yes! It was him, she'd know it anywhere.

"Open the hatch!" she shouted suddenly, startling everyone.

"O-okay?" Cid looked confused, but he lowered the hatch all the same, "Take it down gently, Brother. Don't wanna damage her now."

Yuna rushed out of the room and took the lift to the hatch area. She didn't even wait for it to lower completely before taking her chance to leave. She scrambled up the slowly descending ramp, her feet slipping on the metal grating, and when she reached the top of the ramp she leapt off. Her feet crashed through the water just as the airship touched down, sending jets of water spraying everywhere.

Rikku and Paine watched Yuna from the ramp. She was running toward the shore.

_Don't stop running._ She told herself. Her lungs were burning. The closer she got to him, the more she was certain it was him. He stopped and turned. Yes! It was definitely him!

_But is it real? Or is my mind playing tricks on me again? _she asked herself.

All her reasoning went to hell. When she got close enough to him, she threw her arms around him. She cried out breathlessly as she pressed her body against his. He was so warm. She could feel his heart racing. That meant he was real, didn't it? She took a step back to be sure.

"Are you real?" she asked timidly.

He gazed back at her, his blue eyes solemn. "I think so."

She looked up at his hair, then down to his feet. Then she looked back into his eyes.

"Do I pass?" he asked, his brow furrowing a bit.

"Mm." Yuna nodded, smiling. It had to be him. "You're back."

"I _am_ back." He said, sounding relieved. He pulled her back into his embrace. "I'm home."

For a while, her arms drooped at her sides. She felt weak, like she couldn't pull them up. She forced herself to and encircled his body with her arms.

"Welcome home!" she announced, her voice shaky from tears of joy that had begun to leak from her eyes.

She flattened her palms against his back and felt his muscles tense in reaction to her touch. Warmth flooded her body, like hot water flowing through her veins.

Rikku laughed from the ramp and waved happily at Tidus. Paine only smirked.

"Hey!" a familiar voice called out to Tidus and Yuna from the beach.

They looked over to see Wakka, the Besaid Aurochs, and Lulu standing on the shore.

"Get a room, you too!" Wakka joked.

The couple looked towards the shore. The crowd had begun to cheer with Wakka and Lulu in the front.

"Wassup?" Wakka called, waving a hand over his head.

"Who asked you to watch anyway, Wakka?" Tidus called back jokingly.

"Aah." Wakka laughed.

Lulu looked up and smiled. She was cradling her and Wakka's daughter in her arms.

"Come on!" Tidus said, taking Yuna's hand and running off toward the beach.

Yuna followed. At first, she lagged behind, but then she sprinted ahead of Tidus. He was obviously surprised.

"Whoa!" he gasped, "You know... You've changed!" he declared.

"Well, you've missed a few things!" she pointed out.

"I wanna hear_everything_!" he cried.

"Well, it all started when I saw this sphere... of you..."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	2. Feels Like Home

CHAPTER TWO: Feels Like Home

Rikku and Paine decided not to stay on Besaid. They had a few more spheres to check out before they took their break. Yuna, however, stayed behind. It had been months since she'd been here and her house probably needed some desperate tending to. Besides, the love of her life had just returned to her after a two year hiatus. She was 100 percent sure that even if she had decided to go with the Gullwings, they wouldn't have let her. They probably would've left her shackled up in some basement somewhere until they left.

Lulu invited the couple to the house she shared with Wakka and their child so that they could eat dinner. She was going to be making grilled Mahi-Mahi with a side of fresh Besaid vegetables that she'd grown in her own backyard. She made a point of telling them that the veggies were homegrown by herself because she was rather proud of that accomplishment.

Later, Wakka sat with Tidus and Yuna at the table while Lulu cleared the dirty dishes from the table. The quartet (not including Vidina, Wakka and Lulu's daughter, who was sleeping soundly in her bassinet) had just finished eating dinner and catching up on things that they'd missed. Wakka leaned back in his chair and looked across the round, wooden table at Tidus. He smiled.

"I'm glad your back, ya?" he said earnestly, "You're not gonna go disappearing on us again, are you?"

Tidus shook his head, but didn't vocalize an answer. It seemed as though he weren't quite sure if he was here to stay or if this was only a temporary thing. He dared not share his thoughts with the others, afraid that if the words actually came out of his mouth they might be that much closer to coming true. He glanced over at Yuna. She seemed deep in thought, staring at her hands that were folded in her lap. She looked up and her eyes met his. She smiled softly.

"You must be exhausted." Lulu said, finishing the cleaning. "Do you remember anything about... your ordeal?"

Tidus shrugged. "I just remember waking up under the water... and then I was here-in Besaid."

"Isn't that something?" Lulu said, more to herself than to the others, "That you would reapper here... where you were first seen two years before?"

The group was silent as they contemplated her words. Tidus struggled to remember something, anything that had happened after he'd faded into the farplane two years ago. But he turned up with nothing. He only remembered that he'd seen his father, Yuna's father, and Auron briefly. After that, things were fuzzy.

"Well," Yuna said, standing suddenly, "I think I'm gonna go rest a bit." she looked at Tidus.

"Yeah." He joined her, "Me, too."

Lulu nodded, the smile returning to her lips. "Okay. We'll see you tomorrow?"

"Definitely." He nodded.

"We'd better!" Wakka said as he pointed a finger in Tidus' direction.

After they left Wakka's and Lulu's house, Tidus and Yuna took a short walk down the road to where Yuna's house was located. It was a small house, enough room for two maybe, made out of logs and straw. It didn't have a roof but a canopy of royal blue cloth had been assembled with sturdy sticks to act as a roof and double as a door. Yuna pushed past the cloth, Tidus in tow.

There weren't too many things in her house. She had a couple of empty cans of food lying on the small, rectangular kitchen table and a few dirty dishes in the sink. Other than that, everything appeared to be in order. A clean, white rug sat in the center of the first room and there was a smaller room in the back that housed a bed with a canopy of the same color as the one outdoors. A wooden trunk sat on the floor at the foot of the bed. Tidus assumed that was where Yuna kept her garments.

Glass bottles full of different beverages lined the shelves that were nailed to the kitchen wall. A couple of spheres sat on a tiny table in the far left corner of the room. Some hooks on the walls, which were painted an eggshell color, held robes and dresses. A folding table was propped up against the wall underneath the hooks. Tidus figured that she probably used it when she entertained guests.

Yuna took Tidus' hand and led him into her bedroom. She didn't say a word. He looked around the room. The walls were of the same eggshell color as the others and a purple cloth hung in a doorway, partially concealing what Tidus pegged for a closet. Yuna had a few more dresses hanging behind the cloth, as he could see.

He watched her as she detached her perriwinkle sash from her belt. She folded it neatly and placed it on top of the trunk. She unbuckled her belt and pulled it off gently. She took her twin silver guns out of their holsters and set them, along with the belt, on the trunk beside the sash. She bent down to unlace and remove her boots. Then she turned to look at him.

"You tired?" she murmured.

Tidus nodded.

"Me, too." she laid on the bed, on top of the covers.

Tidus joined her, kicking his boots off. He turned on his side so he could face her. She grinned at him. Her feathery brown hair was splayed across the pillow, her long braid ran along the length of her back. He placed one hand on her hip and she put her own hand up to his, intertwining their fingers. He sighed, at a loss for words. He really wanted to kiss her since he hadn't yet. As though she'd read his mind, she leaned forward a little until her lips met his. They kissed softly and tentatively at first, then he slipped his tongue into her mouth. She responded well as her own tongue began dancing with his.

Afterwards, she lay looking at him. They still hadn't said anything. The silence was deafening. Yuna could feel so many things running through her mind, but she didn't want to overwhelm Tidus with questions. He really did look exhausted...

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I am now." he replied.

"What about your dad?" she wondered, "What about Zanarkand?"

Tidus sighed. "My old man can rest in peace now. That's what's important now."

"And Zanarkand?" she repeated.

"It still exists in my memories."

"But don't you still miss it? Don't you still get homesick?" she yawned, feeling tired herself.

"I will always miss it." he confessed, "It's where I made my memories with my mother and father."

She looked forlorn. He released her hand so he could touch her face.

"But I don't get homesick anymore." He continued.

"Why not?"

"Because," he smiled a bit, "I know now that I'm _already_home... with you, Yuna."

She smiled and kissed him once more. Then they both drifted off to sleep as the exhaustion of their separate ordeals overcame them.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Hope you like it so far and thanks for reading!

I'll post the following two chapters after I get some reviews!


	3. Forgotten Memories

CHAPTER THREE: Forgotten Memories

He was alone in the dark suddenly. Where had everyone gone? Why had he come here? Had he come here on his own or had he been sent? He lifted his head, but it felt heavy. Sounds of howling filled his ears and echoed in his mind. In the distance somewhere he could hear water. It was rushing at an incredible speed and falling. A waterfall. It sounded massive. Why couldn't he see anything?

Just then, a pyrefly floated in front of his face. Swirls of green, blue, purple and white surrounded him until he was completely engulfed in pyreflies. He watched as they flew out from underneath his feet, from his fingertips. He felt them in his hair, against his cheek. They were warm and fuzzy.

"What's going on?" he asked, his voice echoing.

"You've come home." a voice said in response.

"What?" he looked around, "Who said that?"

"The dream has ended." the voice said again.

"The dream..." he muttered. He remembered what the fayth of Bahamut had told him; that he was simply a dream and would fade when the fayth were released from their slumber.

"Yes. It's over, Tidus. We won."

"But... Yuna..."

The voice didn't respond.

"What about Yuna?" he cried out, "Will I ever see her again? Is she okay?"

Still, no answer.

"ANSWER ME!" Tidus cried.

Yuna shook Tidus awake. His eyes snapped open and he sat up, breathing hard. His entire body was covered in a cold sweat. He looked over at Yuna who was gazing back at him with concerned eyes.

"What--What happened?" he asked, breathless.

"I don't know." she said softly, "I think you were dreaming."

"Dreaming..." he echoed.

"Yeah... you were screaming at someone. At first I thought you were screaming at me, but then you started asking if I was okay."

He looked at her with an expression that said that he had no idea what was going on. She seemed to understand, though. After all, they'd been separated so long that it was only natural for him to wonder about her well being. He embraced her and they lay back on the bed. The sun had begun its ascension already and the room was illuminated with a cool blue light. The colors that surrounded them were dull only differentiated by shadows of lights and darks.

"I am so glad you are here." she whispered.

"Me, too." he responded.

"I thought you were gone forever."

"Hm." Tidus closed his eyes for a moment; his head felt like it would explode.

There was a sudden flash of light. He saw himself standing in the middle of a field of flowers surrounded by cascading waterfalls. Pyreflies did their ethereal dance all around him. The scene faded to black in his mind, but only for a quick second. Next he was standing beside Yuna on Luca's port. She was whistling out to the ocean. He had heard her and had come to her, but she didn't seem to notice that he was there. Then Lulu came. The scene faded out again.

"Argh!" He sat up again, holding his head in his hands.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Yuna asked.

"I think I just need a shower." he said without looking at her.

"Okay." Yuna placed a hand on his shoulder. "The bath house is in the back."

Tidus thanked her with a quick peck on her lips and exited the small house. He rounded the right hand corner and went to the wooden structure that Yuna had referred to as a bath house. He opened the door and locked it behind him. Three giant metal showerheads were in the narrow section of the bath house. A seating area had been built in around the three walls of the shower room.

It was hot and muggy in here. Tidus looked around to see an area of hot coals set aside and covered by a metal grate. A bucket of water and a ladel sat beside it. He got the idea and poured a ladel of water across the hot coals. Refreshing steam rose and filled the larger area of the bath house. He sighed and placed the ladel back inside the bucket. He undressed and went into the shower area. He turned the brass knob to open the flow of water. Warm water sprayed from all three shower heads, drenching Tidus' weary body from head to toe.

He sighed and closed his eyes, allowing the water to flow over his face. He saw it again then-when his eyes were closed. A quick flash of light. The fayth of Bahamut stood in front of him; his boyish likeness made him seem harmless. His face was covered with the hood of the robe he was wearing. Another flash before another scene. He was watching Yuna sleep, but she wasn't really sleeping. She was crying. He could feel her sorrow as clear as if it had been his own. A tear dropped from his eye and rolled down his cheek. He swiped it away and sat beside the crying girl on her bed. He took her hand in his. She slowly stopped crying and shut her eyes.

Tidus opened his eyes suddenly. He was still standing in the shower. He cursed himself for not being able to remember anything about his ordeal. He grabbed the bar of soap from the wooden seating area and began to scrub all over. He wasn't sure if he'd ever remember what had taken place. He finished his shower and turned the knob again to close the flow of water. Steam still flooded the room.

He rummaged around in the storage closet and picked out a towel. He wrapped it around his waist, grabbed his dirty clothes, and exited the bath house. He pushed the cloth aside and stepped into Yuna's home. She had redressed and was standing at the fire plate in the kitchen. She was cooking something in a pan. It smelled wonderful. Tidus took a few steps towards her and she turned to face him.

"Hey." she said, "Do you need some new clothes?"

Tidus nodded sheepishly. "Yeah... I mean, if that's possible."

"Follow me." Yuna led Tidus to the bedroom and rummaged around in her trunk.

She emerged with a neatly folded pile of men's clothing. A white gauze shirt and black linen pants with a drawstring at the waist. She went into the closet and took out a large pair of sandals. He looked at her gratefully.

"Where did you get these?" he wondered aloud.

"Oh, they were Chappu's." Yuna explained, "This trunk used to be his."

Tidus waited for Yuna to excuse herself before dropping his towel and redressing. He went back into the main room where Yuna was setting the fold-out table with dishes and utensils. She poured fruit juice from a ceramic pitcher into two clay cups. Tidus noticed that she had cooked bacon, chocobo eggs, and potato pancakes. When she noticed that he was standing there, she looked away shyly.

"Smells great!" He said, sitting on the floor beside the small table.

"Thanks." she smiled and wrapped her arms behind her back. "Eat! I worked hard on this, you know? It's been a while since I had a guest."

Tidus paused, his mouth full of eggs. "A guest? I thought I was more than that!"

"Well, you know what I meant..." she plopped down on the ground across the table from him. "Is it good?"

"Delicious." he said, inhaling the contents of his plate.

Yuna took time and precision to consume her food. She took small and careful bites, washing each mouthful down with pineapple juice.

"So," Tidus finished and pushed his plate into the center of the table, "What should we do now?"

Yuna finished her food soon after and shrugged. "I don't know. What do you want to do?"

Tidus thought for a moment. "Think we can go to Zanarkand? I just want to see it again."

Yuna nodded. "Then we can go see Kimahri on Gagazet! I'm sure he'd love to see us."

"Sure!" Tidus agreed, "I'd love to see that big, blue, furry lug."

Yuna just laughed.


	4. Cherished

A/N: Just a quick note on this chapter... It is based loosely on the ending cutscene with some additions from me. I liked the idea of combining them, so... HERE YA GO!

Also, I added Kimahri in this chapter because he doesn't get enough attention and I feel kinda bad for him! Enjoy :)

** CHAPTER FOUR: Cherished**

Gagazet was just as cold as Tidus could remember, except that this time it was easier to climb to the summit because there were no fiends trying to strike them down every two seconds. He grasped Yuna's hand in his and they continued walking along the rugged mountain trail. Looking at everything here on Gagazet brought back memories, some good and some bad. Yuna felt tears come to her eyes when she remembered the brave Ronso who had fallen to Seymour and the Guado that fateful day that she had come through on her way to Zanarkand.

Tidus felt Yuna squeezing his hand, but when he looked at her she wasn't looking at him. She was staring straight ahead with fresh tears in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

She sniffled. "Just remembering the Ronso."

"Oh... yeah." Tidus frowned, "Well, at least they've found peace and will be able to rest in their sacred birthplace forever... Right?"

Yuna nodded. "It's just... sometimes I think that if I hadn't come through here, they'd still be alive."

"You can't blame yourself, Yuna." Tidus rationalized, "Because if you hadn't gone on with your pilgrimage, well, we probably wouldn't be standing here right now... You saved everyone. You saved _us_."

Yuna looked at him and smiled. They continued on in silence until they reached the summit of Gagazet. Yuna pointed to a trail that wound around the peak of the mountain. They followed it until they reached a small village of canvas tents. A few Ronso who were out and about looked up at them when they arrived. One young Ronso cub retreated into a tall tent and emerged a few seconds later with Kimahri in tow.

"Yuna!" the blue Ronso growled when he noticed her.

"Kimahri!" She shouted, running towards him.

Just as she was about to reach him she tripped, but he caught her in his arms as he usually did. She thanked him and brushed herself off, standing upright.

"Hey there, Kimahri." Tidus said, waving.

"You!" Kimahri attempted a smile, "You here now?"

Tidus nodded. "I suppose so..."

To everyone's surprise, Kimahri embraced the boy tightly.

"Kimahri happy that Tidus is back." he declared.

"And I'm happy to be here." Tidus smiled and looked down at the young Ronso cub. "Who is this little fella?" he asked, reaching out to touch the cub. The cub recoiled behind Kimahri's massive legs.

"This Mahko, son of Kimahri."

"You have a son?" Tidus said, his eyes lighting up.

"Kimahri have two sons, one daughter." he explained, "Daughter, Nekhita, is by the river to get fish. Other son, Kahrim, is learning the way of Ronso with elders."

"Wow!" Tidus smiled and looked at Yuna, "Did you know this?"

Yuna nodded. "Kimahri's wife, Melkha, is a great cook!"

"Gee, I _have_ missed a lot." He mused.

"Kimahri would be pleased to have Yuna and Tidus for dinner one day." He placed a big, furry paw on the boy's shoulder.

"Definitely!" Yuna said with a smile.

"Kimahri wondering... Why Yuna and Tidus come to Gagazet now? Just to see Kimahri?"  
Tidus cleared his throat. "Well, actually, we were on our way to Zanarkand..."

"But we decided that we just _had_ to stop over here." Yuna added, "After all, it's been two years."

Kimahri nodded. "Many travellers come to Zanarkand. The ruins of great machina city hold many discoveries."

"I would imagine so." Yuna said, recalling that she'd just been to the ruins recently.

The couple stayed with Kimahri and Mahko for a while, reminiscing about old times. Yuna played hide and seek with the little Ronso cub. His fur was blue, like his father's, but it was a much lighter hue. He also had a silvery white tuft of hair on top of his head, between his ears. Kimahri's wife finally returned from the village. She had gone to the market at the bottom of the mountain to fetch farm fresh vegetables for dinner tonight.

Melkha was about a half a foot shorter than her husband. Her fur was charcoal gray except for the palms of her hands which were pure white. She was lithe and graceful in her movements, a complete contrast to her physical appearance. She greeted the couple with a soft voice and retreated into their tent. She called Mahko along to help her in the kitchen.

"Bye Yuna!" the cub chirped.

"Bye Mahko! See you soon!" she waved.

"Cute kid!" Tidus said, nudging Kimahri with his elbow.

"Kimahri wondering... when Tidus and Yuna going to make children?"

"Uh... ahh..." Tidus stuttered, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

Yuna blushed and covered her mouth with her hands to stifle a giggle.

"Kimahri want to be honorary guardian of Yuna's and Tidus' baby!"

After the couple had managed to get themselves out of that embarrassing situation, they bid their fond farewells to Kimahri and his family. Yuna promised that they would be back soon to have dinner and to play with the cubs. Secretly, Yuna thought she would have loved to be a mother... especially if the father of her children was Tidus. She looked over at him as they traversed the downward path to the ruins of Zanarkand and she found herself smiling. She wondered if he felt the same way, if he wanted to be a father.

Oh, well. They were still both young and, hopefully, they had plenty of time to decide.

"There it is." Tidus said breathlessly, "It's been a while."

"Yeah." Yuna said as she squeezed his hand. "Are you okay?"

Tidus nodded. "Sure."

They walked the quiet and crumbling streets in silence. Tidus helped her traverse over a few large craters and piles of rubble. As they continued along the broken path another scene flashed before Tidus causing him to stop in his tracks. Yuna looked at him, concerned.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Her voice was distant and eventually faded into the background. He saw the childlike presence of the fayth of Bahamut. The little boy pointed in a direction and Tidus followed with his eyes. He was in the farplane again and he could see people, living people, standing at the platform near Guadosalam. They were there to speak to their lost loved ones. Spirits had gathered to hear the living speak to them. Yuna stood there and her mother and father had appeared before her.

The scene faded and a flash of light brought Tidus to the next scene. He was in the field of flowers in the farplane. Yuna stood there waiting. He stepped up behind her and embraced her tenderly. She could feel him, he could tell.

"I want to go back." Tidus said suddenly.

"But you can't."

He turned to see the fayth speaking to him.

"You are already dead."

"But it's not fair!" Tidus whined, "How can I be punished for something I didn't even ask for?"

The fayth laughed bitterly. "Many were punished for things they didn't ask for."

"I know that..." Tidus fell to his knees, "But I need her and she needs me, too."

The fayth watched as Tidus looked longingly over at Yuna.

"Many people have had to say good-by to their loved ones, their friends... Why are you any different?"

Tidus bit his lip. "I don't know... I just..."

The fayth continued. "I know you've thought about her a lot."

"I have. I do. Every minute."

"We all know your thoughts, Tidus."

"_We_?" Tidus echoed, "Who is _we_?"

The little boy turned and pointed. Tidus looked in the same direction and saw pyreflies dancing in the darkness. He could hear them howling and wailing and could feel them coming towards him.

The scene flashed violently away and the force of it brought Tidus to his knees in the middle of the broken path. Yuna was at his side immediately.

"What...? What happened?" she cried.

"I... I don't know." Tidus groaned, "Let's go take a break... Please?"

"Sure." Yuna helped him to his feet and aided him as he walked to the clearing to rest.

He sat on an old rock and held his head in his hands. Yuna sat beside him, her hand on his back.

"Hey." He said suddenly, looking up, "I recognize this place."

"You do?" she asked, looking around.

"I do. It's where we stayed... two years ago." He looked nostalgic, "The fire... we all rested around it."

"Yes. I remember." She breathed, "You remember a lot, huh? About two years ago? The pilgrimage?"

"I don't just remember a lot." he said, standing. "I remember everything."

A few pyreflies danced around them. Every now and then, stray pyreflies could be seen wandering about. Especially in Zanarkand. It was the ruins of a city that was still haunted by its former inhabitants. Tidus wondered if he'd been one of those pyreflies once, just wandering lost and lonely in Zanarkand. He reached out to touch one and it flitted away and disappeared into the air. He sighed sadly. How could one _not_ be envious of the living? Especially if the person you loved more than anything in the world had gone on living without you.

He looked at Yuna, who was gazing back at him lovingly. He smiled at her. He wondered why he'd been given the chance to return to her. He remembered something then... about after he'd disappeared. He'd never stopped thinking about Yuna, not once. Not even when he thought he would never see her again. His spirit lingered on in her life; hanging in a limbo between the love he'd left behind and the farplane where he belonged.

He looked out at the water. "I got a theory." he began.

Yuna listened intently.

"I think the fayth gathered up my thoughts and put 'em together to bring me back." he paused, stretching his arms over his head. "Maybe. Something like that."

She continued to listen, wrapping her arms behind her back and clasping her hands together.

"Or maybe... I'm still a dream." There, he'd said it. The words were like venom in his mouth.

"Wait!" Yuna cried out, "So you'll disappear?"

He watched her lower her head sadly. Taking one last look out to the water, her turned and said "Cherish me, Yuna... and I'll cherish you."

She looked back at him hopefully.

"All right?" he took an enthusiastic step forward. "We gotta stick together! That's what we have to do!"

She ran to him and wrapped her arms around him tightly. "Is that what the fayth told you?" she asked softly, pressing her cheek to his back.

He placed his hands over hers. "Nah." he chuckled nervously, "But I like it!"

She laughed at his comment causing him to laugh as well. Playfully, she reached her arms out and pushed with her hands against his back. He fell forward, crying out, and landed in the water with a splash. Yuna watched, clearly amused, as he pulled himself out of the shallow pool.

"Hey!" He said, wiping his face with his hand, "That's not _cherishing_!"

Yuna just smiled and said, "You didn't disappear."

He smirked. She was right. He didn't disappear. She giggled lightly and helped him out of the pool. He shook the water out of his hair, making a point to splash her. She squealed and held her hands up in defense. He pulled her in his arms and picked her up off the ground.

"You're next!" he cried, holding her over the pool of water.

"No! Tidus!" She squirmed and struggled in futility. "Let me go!"

"You're the boss!" He released her and she fell into the pool with a splash.

He was already laughing hysterically when she resurfaced.


	5. A Proposal

CHAPTER FIVE: A Proposal

Yuna woke up with a smile on her face. She felt like the happiest person in the world and certainly the luckiest. She sat up in her bed and stretched her arms out over her head. For once in her life she felt as though nothing were missing. With that thought, she looked to her right just to make sure that Tidus was still laying beside her. He was still sleeping soundly. In fact, he hadn't had a nightmare or an episode like the one in Zanarkand for weeks now. She touched him lightly just to be sure that he was really there and not just a figment of her wild imagination.

He felt warm. The smile grew larger. She'd been doing this every morning for three weeks, which was when he had come back to her. She just _had_ to check to see if it was real and not a dream. She'd even pinched herself on a few occasions. Every day, Tidus had been real... he had stayed. He hadn't disappeared. She slipped out of the bed slowly so as not to disturb him. She left the bedroom and went into the kitchen to make breakfast.

About and hour later, Tidus woke up. He got out of the bed and looked around for Yuna. She wasn't in the kitchen, though his breakfast was. He quickly wolfed it down and exited the house with a full stomach. She wasn't out here. Where had she gone? He rounded the left side of the house to check if she was in the garden tending to her hibiscus, but she wasn't there either. Shrugging, he walked down the path toward the beach.

Tidus saw Wakka's house on his left and decided to stop by for a minute. He knocked on the rounded wooded door and waited for an answer. Wakka opened the door and grinned when he saw his friend standing on the opposite side. With a cry, he wrapped his arms around Tidus and squeezed him hard.

"Wassup, brudda?" he asked the boy, "You eaten breakfast yet?"

Tidus nodded. "Yuna made me an omelette out of chocobo eggs and fresh veggies."

"She's become quite the little homemaker, ya?" Wakka said with a twinkle in his eye, "I tell ya, she'd make one heck of a great wife, ya?"

Tidus felt the heat rush to his cheeks. He must have been blushing because Wakka began poking fun at him.

"Ya, I see dat look in your eyes!" he laughed heartily, "Don't tell me you haven't been thinkin' about it."

"Well, I-um..." Tidus cleared his throat, "You know... Yeah. Yuna's great."

"And you love her?"

Tidus sighed. "Of course I do."

"So whaddaya waitin' for?" Wakka threw his arms up.

Tidus began pacing back and forth. "Don't get me wrong, Wakka, I'd love to have Yuna as my wife... It's just that I don't know what this all means..."

"What? You comin' back all of a sudden?" Wakka's brow furrowed.

"Yeah." Tidus looked back at his friend, "I mean, what if it's not permanent? Y'know... what if all of a sudden Yuna wakes up one morning and... and I'm not there? What will happen to her if we get married and that happens, huh?" He swallowed. "What if we get married, have children... and _then_ that happens? I... I don't even want to _think_ about that..."

Wakka stood beside Tidus and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Listen... My theory is when something like this happens, must be the will of a higher power, ya?"

Tidus nodded.

"So this means that this happened for a reason... a reason higher than you or me could know. So you know what I say?"

"What?"

"I say dat you shouldn't question this higher power." Wakka raised his brows, "Cuz this power knows more than you or me, ya?"

Tidus agreed. A relieved smile crept onto his lips, but he still felt a bit uneasy about this whole thing.

"So, uh, did you see Yuna this morning? I can't find her."

"I think she's down on the beach with Lu and Vidina." Wakka said, "Lu's supposed to babysit the neighbors' kids today so I guess Yuna decided to help her."

Tidus nodded. "Okay, thanks."

Wakka slipped his feet into his sandals. "Hold up, I'll join ya." he clapped a hand on Tidus' shoulder again, "This experience with babysittin' could be good for Yuna, ya? The experience could be very good for her!"

Tidus shot a curious look in his friend's direction. Wakka just winked at him playfully. The two men walked down to the beach together. As Wakka had predicted, Yuna and Lulu were down on the beach watching a group of children playing blitzball. Lulu noticed them right away and waved them over. Yuna was kneeling down in the sand with a little girl. It looked like she was helping the child build a sandcastle.

"Hey, Lulu." Tidus said as he and Wakka approached the woman and her child.

"Good morning." She looked up at Wakka. He leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek.

"How's the little bundle?" Tidus asked, craning his neck to get a look at the baby.

Lulu, who held Vidina in her arms wrapped in a blanket, pushed the purple fabric away from the baby's face so Tidus could look at her. Vidina had Wakka's red hair, but had Lulu's facial features. Tidus laughed inwardly as he thought that it was probably better for her that way.

"Wow." He mused, "She's adorable."

"Thanks." Lulu said. She was obviously proud to be a mother.

"She looks like her daddy, ya?" Wakka said, beaming.

"A little." Tidus said with a nod. He looked out at Yuna.

"She's great with these kids." Lulu said, referring to Yuna. "They all ask me where she is when she doesn't come with me. They are all so happy that she's back home."

"Ya." Wakka agreed. "She'd make a great mother... Almost as good as Lu."

Tidus smiled and nodded. Yuna sure seemed to be getting along well with the children. She placed a pretty seashell on the top of the castle and the little girl cheered and clapped her hands. Yuna looked up and saw Tidus staring at her. She smiled back at him and gave a little wave. She was wearing a floor-length, purple gauze skirt and a small white tank top with rhinestones dripping from the collar. A small strip of the flesh of her stomach was exposed by the length of the shirt. She told the little girl she'd be right back and strode over to the group.

"Hey, sleepyhead." She said to Tidus, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Good morning." He kissed her cheek. "Thanks for breakfast."

"You're welcome." she giggled. "Glad you liked it."

"Did you sleep well?" Lulu asked Tidus, remembering that he'd been having nightmares before.

"Yeah! Haven't had a nightmare in weeks!" He replied.

"Hey, Lulu." Yuna said.

"Yes?" Lulu asked.

"Do you mind if I take little break?"

"Go ahead!" Lulu smiled, "I think I can handle these guys."

"Okay, thanks!" Yuna turned to Tidus. "Wanna go for a walk?"

"Sure." Tidus said.

"Okay. See you guys later?" Yuna gestured toward Wakka and Lulu.

"Yeah. Why don't you come by for dinner?" Lulu suggested.

"We'll be there!" Tidus said.

The couple began walking to the western end of the beach. They held each others hands as they strolled along. Tidus had removed his shoes and had rolled up his pant legs. He dipped his feet in the surf. Yuna wasn't wearing shoes, so there was no need for her to remove them. She allowed the hem of her skirt to be submerged in the temperate water.

"Hey, Yuna." Tidus began.

"Yeah?"

"Well, um, I've been thinking..."

"About what?" she grinned sweetly.

He looked at her and lost track of what he had begun to say. "You're so cute."

Yuna clucked her tongue and nudged against him playfully. "So are you, but don't change the subject! Finish!"

"Oh, um... I was thinking..." he swallowed hard, "I dunno... what would you think if we, well..."

_Oh Yevon!_ Yuna thought, her heart catching in her throat. _Is he going to ask what I think he's going to ask?_

"How would you feel if we, um... got married?"

_Aah! Don't faint, Yuna... Stay alert..._

"I--I don't know what to say, I--" she paused. "Are you sure? I mean, is that what you want?"

_Stupid!_ Yuna chided herself. _Now he's gonna think you don't _want_ to marry him!_

"Do _you_ want to?" he asked, cocking a brow. His heart was beating a thousand miles a minute.

_Say yes, Yuna! Say yes NOW!_

"Say yes!" she blurted out.

Tidus laughed. "What?"

"Oh, I mean--" she laughed nervously, "Yes! Yes, yes, yes! A thousand times, yes!"

She cried out and leapt into Tidus' arms. He wasn't expecting it and he lost his footing in the unstable sand. The couple toppled over and landed in the ocean with a splash. They didn't seem to notice, however, and shared a passionate, underwater kiss. A few moments later, they were sitting on the shore. Yuna rested her head on his shoulder and exhaled deeply.

"I'm sorry I don't have a ring..." he said sheepishly.

"I don't need a ring." Yuna said, "I have you. That's all I need."

He kissed her again.

"Let's head back to the house and shower before dinner." Yuna suggested.

"Okay."

Tidus stood under the stream of hot water that flowed from the showerheads above him. He felt relaxed and calm and his muscles loosened as he breathed in the refreshing steam that filled the bath house. He closed his eyes and thought back to this afternoon when he'd asked Yuna if she wanted to marry him. He found himself smiling like a fool when he recalled the face she had made. He made a promise to himself that he would be the best he could to Yuna and do everything he could do to make her happy.

He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't hear the door to the bath house open. He didn't notice when Yuna stepped inside and began disrobing. She had taken the elastic out of her hair and had shaken her braid loose. Waves of wispy chestnut hair billowed down her bare back. She made sure she locked the door-something Tidus had somehow forgotten to do-and stepped into the shower area. She tiptoed across the cement floor quietly and snuck up behind him.

Tidus gasped when he felt Yuna's arms snaking around his waist. He turned to look at her.

"Y-Yuna?" he looked confused.

"Shh." She said, holding a finger to his lips.

Tidus sighed and closed his eyes again when he felt her slick, naked skin against his back. She pressed her breasts against him gently. He turned to face her and for a moment they just looked at each other. They both weren't sure what they were supposed to do from this point. She rested her palms against his chest and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him on the lips.

"What happens now?" he whispered.

"I'm not sure." she confessed softly, "I've never..."

"Me neither."

She took his hand and began to guide it along the soft, innocent planes of her skin. "We'll help each other." she murmured, "You guide me and I'll guide you."

"Deal." he said with a nod.


	6. Truth

CHAPTER SIX: Truth

A cool draft on his legs roused him from slumber. Tidus' eyes snapped open. It was still dark outside, probably about three hours until dawn. He tried to move, but a weight on his chest stopped him. He looked down and saw Yuna laying asleep on his chest, her long waves were splayed out across his skin and smelled of strawberries. They both weren't wearing any clothes and they'd just thrown the sheet across their bodies.

Tidus wiggled his way out from underneath her and took extra time to make sure she was nestled completely underneath the wool blanket. It was a bit chilly out this morning, so he grabbed a white thermal shirt and gray cotton pants off of the floor and put them on. He crept into the kitchen and delved into the small cooler for a bottle of pineapple juice. He unscrewed the cap and gulped the whole thing down in a matter of a few large sips.

"Tidus."

Tidus dropped the bottle and whirled around. It shattered on the ground behind him.

"Who's there?" he hissed.

"You know who."

He recognized the voice of the fayth of Bahamut. He made a face and clenched his fists angrily.

"What do _you_ want? Haven't we been through this before?"

The fayth appeared out of the darkness, a foot in front of Tidus. "We have been through many things, but we haven't gotten anywhere, have we?"

"No... I guess not."

"I know what you're thinking."

"Oh yeah? Well, then what am I thinking?"

The fayth smirked. "You're thinking that I'm here to take you back."

"Maybe." he looked down at his bare feet, "Are you?"

The fayth didn't respond right away.

"Come on!" Tidus groaned in exasperation, "No more games! I wanna know."

"Why do you need to know so badly?"

"Because... I've just asked Yuna to marry me." Tidus smiled weakly. "And she accepted."

"And how does it feel to make promises to soneone when you aren't even sure that you can keep them?"

"What? A-are you saying that I won't be able to stay?" Tidus reeled on the fayth, his finger in the child's face, "Well, I'm gonna tell you something... You might just have to kill me again because I am _not_ going back without a fight! Do you hear me?!"

"I hear you!" Yuna hissed.

Tidus whipped his head around and saw Yuna standing in the doorway of the bedroom, clutching a pink robe around her body. He looked back to where the fayth had been standing. Nothing. He cursed inwardly. Why was the fayth always playing these games with him?

"Who are you talking to?" She asked, walking into the room. Her eyes were squinted in the luminous moonlight.

"I... No one." He said.

"Well, then... come back to bed." Yuna wrapped her arms around Tidus' neck. "It's cold in there without you."

"Yeah." he kissed her lips, "I'll be there in a sec."

"Okay." Yuna nodded, "I'll be waiting."

Tidus waited until she'd gone back into the bedroom. He looked around the room, underneath tables and chairs, behind objects.

"Where are you?" he whispered harshly, "Come on out! We weren't finished!"

The fayth materialized in the center of the room, scaring Tidus so much he practically fell down.

"Let's finish things then." the fayth said hoarsely.

Tidus gasped when the childlike apparition grabbed his hand. A white light flashed before his eyes and he felt like he was falling... falling through the ground with no end in sight...

Tidus walked through the field. Pyreflies swirled all around him, brushing against his arms and legs. He was wearing the clothes he'd been wearing when he disappeared two years ago. Auron and Jecht stood beside him. Braska was in front of him. He looked around. He was in the farplane. His weary soul felt at rest here, but there was something heavy in his heart that made him walk away from his friends and his father.

"Son?"

Tidus turned to look at his father. "Dad?"

"Where are you gonna go?" he asked.

"I don't know, Dad." he looked straight ahead. "But I can't stay here."

Auron stepped up and grabbed Tidus shoulder. "Where will you go? What will you do?"

"I'll talk to someone!" Tidus insisted, "I've got to get back to her!"

"You've done enough for her." Auron said, lowering his hand. "Let it go."

"Let it go?" Tidus was incredulous, "I'm sorry I'm not like you, Auron. I can't just _let everything go_! I can't just turn my back on the person I love more than anything in the world!"

Braska summoned Tidus forth. He said goodby to Auron and approached Yuna's father. The former High Summoner smiled warmly at the boy. He pointed out to the open where a vision of Spira appeared before them. Yuna and her friends were on the deck of the airship, soaring through the clouds. When Tidus saw her, a smile crept onto his lips.

"You see?" Braska said, "She is okay now."

Tidus sighed. "I know... She looks great."

"So why do you haunt her?"

"What?"

"She feels your spirit with her, Tidus. You know you've been to see her, to comfort her."

"Yeah... To comfort her. Not to haunt her." Tidus looked at Yuna's father sadly.

"Your intentions are good, this is true." Braska pointed out, "But Yuna will never truly be able to let you go unless you let her go as well."

"But..."

The fayth appeared beside Braska. Tidus looked down at him.

"If you love Yuna," the fayth began, "Then let her go so that she can move on with her life."

"But... I-I can't." Tidus began to tear up. He felt his heart being torn to shreds. Could they really expect him to just forget her?

"You will both be okay." The fayth continued, "You want her to be happy, right? To have a family? To leave a legacy?"

"Of course, but..." he trailed off.

"But what?"

"But I want to be there with her. I-I want to _be_ her family."

The fayth smiled. "You love her very much, don't you?"

"I do."

"I know it. I've seen your thoughts." the boyish figure pointed to the vision of Yuna in Spira, "These visions right here... they were taken from your thoughts."

"How?" Tidus looked at the vision again. "I've never seen her like this before."

"I know. Because this vision is Yuna today... Right now, actually."

"How can these be from my thoughts?"

"Your connection with Yuna is so strong that you are able to see her and visit her in the physical world." the fayth explained, "Until now, I had never seen a spirit venture from the farplane to visit a loved one in the physical world... and have had that living loved one actually _feel_ the spirit's presence."

"Huh?" Tidus scratched his head.

The field behind them and Braska's spirit faded into black. All Tidus could see was the vision in front of him and the fayth standing beside him.

"Yuna felt you as though you were still alive. And she recognized the presence as _you_." the fayth continued to explain, "Think about it like this. The farplane is a separate world apart from Spira. So in _this _world, in _our_ world, Yuna ceases to exist but in your memories.

"But through _your_ thoughts, spirits in the farplane are able to see and hear Yuna as though she _did_ exist in this world!"

"Wow..." Tidus breathed.

"The same way that your thoughts can recreate Yuna here, her thoughts can possibly recreate _you_ back in Spira."

"Wait... Are you saying...?"

The fayth nodded. "It could be possible. If Yuna wants it enough, it could be possible."

"Can we try it? Please?"

The fayth sighed. "We can try. Yuna's thoughts of you are just as vivid, if not more, than yours are of her."

Tidus felt hope renewed in his heart. "Let's go! Let's give it a shot!"

The fayth shrugged. "I don't know if we'll be able to successfully pull this off. We've never done it before. It would be the first, and probably the only, time that we ever attempt this!"

"I know we can. I have a hunch!"

The fayth chuckled a bit. "I have never seen love like this before. Love that stretches across time, life, death... universes. It is quite remarkable."

"I know." Tidus said dreamily, "I feel it every day. And every day it only grows stronger. I don't envy Yuna for being alive. I just miss her."

"Well, let's give this a shot then!" the fayth exclaimed.

The farplane and its field of lush flowers reappeared. Jecht looked at his son proudly. Tidus approached his father and embraced him tightly, fighting the urge to cry. The last thing he wanted was for his father to see him crying... again.

"I've gotta go, Dad." he whispered.

"I know, son. I know." Jecht patted his son's back lovingly.

"I'll miss you."

"Don't start cryin' now!" his father said, stepping back. "Go do what you gotta do, okay? And do it right!"

Tidus nodded, furiously blinking away the tears that refused to subside. He began walking away.

"See you when I see you!" Jecht called back, waving.

Tidus waved one last time at his father. Braska and Auron stood behind Jecht, also waving. He shouted his goodby's to them and went up to the fayth again. The boy reached out and took Tidus' hand.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes!" Tidus swallowed.

"Are you ready to live for love?"

"YES!"

The brilliant white light flashed again and Tidus suddenly found himself in Yuna's home again. He was breathing heavily and his legs were shaking. The fayth was still holding his hand tightly. Tidus looked at the boy child and exhaled deeply.

"So..." the fayth said softly, "Now you know the truth about how you returned."

Tidus had to hold himself up with both arms. "Am I here to... to stay?"

The fayth shrugged. "Depends on you two!" he said, "We fayth went through a lot to bring you back here. We sacrificed our traditions to take you back to your true love. Don't make us regret that decision. Instead... prove to us every day that your love was worth it."

"Worth it?" Tidus echoed.

"Worth you dying for... and living again for..."

"Tidus!" Yuna shouted from the bedroom.

"Coming!" He called back.

The fayth had pulled its disappearing act again, but Tidus head a voice in his head that said _We will be watching over you, Tidus._

"See you when I see you." Tidus muttered with a smirk, and with that he retreated to the bedroom.


	7. Finale

CHAPTER SEVEN: Finale

The dawn came quickly with Tidus getting little to no sleep. He just watched Yuna slumbering peacefully. He felt at ease now. For the first time since his return, he could be certain that he was back for good. He ran his fingers affectionately through her soft hair. This insignificant action roused her from her slumber. She blinked the last remnants of sleep from her eyes and yawned. She looked up at her lover and smiled.

"Good morning." she whispered.

"Hey." he kissed her forehead. "Did you sleep well?"

She stretched her legs and crossed one over his. "Mhm. You?"

"Kind of."

"Yeah. What were you doing up this morning?"

"Oh..." he trailed off. "Yuna?"

"Yes?"

"Did you really feel my presence? I-I mean after I disappeared?"

She looked at him seriously. "Every day... How did you know?"

"The fayth told me."

"You talked to the fayth again?" She propped herself up with one arm.

"Yes. This morning." he exhaled, "He told me that I was able to return because of our love, of our connection."

Yuna's eyes brightened. "Really? He said that?"

Tidus nodded and slid up in the bed so that he was sitting upright. Yuna snuggled up beside him, wrapping the wool blanket around them. Her warmth made Tidus' head spin.

"He said that our connection was so strong it spread across from your world to mine. Well, when I was in the farplane and you were in Spira."

"It was strong, wasn't it?" she mused, "Strongest thing I've ever felt in my life."

"Me, too!" He became excited, "Don't you see, Yuna? We're together now because we never stopped believing in each other."

"I never gave up on you."

"Me neither!" He squeezed her tighter, "And you never stopped searching for a way to get back to me."

"I-I couldn't." A tear fell from Yuna's green eye.

Tidus wiped it from her cheek. "Even if you could only see me for a minute?"

"I would have done anything to spend one more minute in your arms."

They kissed sweetly.

"That's the kind of woman I want to be my wife." he said.

She giggled. "So you aren't leaving?"

"Never." he paused, "It's like I said... I'll stay with you _always_."

"Always, then." Yuna said, linking her fingers with his.

The couple remained in the bed, just holding onto each other. They both felt a reassuring calm settle around them. Just as the calm had settled over Spira, it had now settled over Tidus' and Yuna's lives. He wasn't going anywhere. They were never going to have to live another day apart. Tidus saw that Yuna had closed her eyes.

"Thank you." Tidus whispered; an expression of gratitude for the spirits who had guided him back from the farplane.

Somewhere in the field of flowers, a fayth smiled at the vision of the happy couple. Though Tidus' physical being would remain in Spira, a part of him would forever be linked to the farplane.

The fayth turned from the fading vision, feeling accomplished.

_We won, Tidus. We won._

FIN

A/N: So it's the end guys! Hope you enjoyed it and sorry it was so short :-/ Rest assured that I will most definitely be writing more Tidus/Yuna fics because they are the most perfect couple ever ;-)

I wanna thank those who took the time to read and review! You guys are the best and I hope you will continue to read my stories in the future!


End file.
